I admit, I was getting lazy and simply checking DU to get a quick goings-on in the world. Today, I had some time to check out another oldie-but-goodie, commondreams.org. I found this Matt Taibbi article about the new head of the SEC. I was under the impression that Mary Jo White was a courageous choice for the head of the SEC:

What a contentious debate. The PUB-lican kept interrupting Rep. Braley, and even the moderators, all the while saying saying basically just talking about HIS daughter. It's as if he thinks he and his family are the only Americans contributing to this country.

The crowd cheered and applauded several times when the Braley refused to be bullied.

As most Dems and Liberals felt, Obama's lackluster debate performance against wild-eyed Romney was disappointing. I was in no hurry to get to the VP debates. I well recall the Palin/Biden debates, and Palin's craziness stole the show there. So, I hadn't many great expectations for Joe. A friend told me that she read that Biden is known as one of the best debaters on Capitol Hill. I was skeptical.

Biden was nothing less than AWE-INSPIRING. Every time I wanted someone to call Ryan on a lie or for perpetuating failed economic policies, Joe was there smiling, laughing, banging on the table, throwing his hands up. When Joe asked the American people who they trusted with their medicare, I trusted Joe. When Raddatz tried to accuse the administration of misusing the role of the Commander and Chief, Joe took her to task. He explained that the Obama's decision-making had the backing of the military command.

I trust Joe. I'm certain millions more Americans trust Joe and Obama after that performance. Middle-class Americans need an Administration that is passionate about preserving all that we've worked for, and Joe proved that he's passionate about us.

President Barack Obama's lead in Wisconsin has narrowed to 2 points over Republican challenger Mitt Romney in the latest Public Policy Poll released Saturday.

Obama led by 49% to 47% in the survey of 979 likely Wisconsin voters. The poll was conducted Thursday through Saturday and has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 percentage points.

Two weeks ago, PPP showed Obama leading Romney by 52% to 45%.

"Mitt Romney's received a significant bounce in Wisconsin after his big victory in the debate on Wednesday," said Dean Debnam, president of Public Policy Polling. "The big question now is whether the renewed closeness of the race will be permanent or just temporary."

The shock of losing a precious job in a town afflicted by high unemployment is always hard. A foundation for a stable family life and secure home instantly disappears, replaced with a future filled with fears over health insurance, missed mortgage payments and the potential for a slip below the breadline.

But for Bonnie Borman – and 170 other men and women in Freeport, Illinois – there is a brutal twist to the torture. Borman, 52, and the other workers of a soon-to-be-shuttered car parts plant are personally training the Chinese workers who will replace them.

It's a surreal experience, they say. For months they have watched their plant being dismantled and shipped to China, piece by piece, as they show teams of Chinese workers how to do the jobs they have dedicated their lives to.

"It's not easy to get up in the morning, training them to do your job so that you can be made unemployed," said Borman, pictured, a mother of three who has worked for 23 years at the Sensata auto sensors plant.
Bonnie Borman at Sensata in Freeport

Borman knows her eventual fate in the stricken economy that surrounds Freeport. "I am going to be competing for minimum wage jobs with my own daughter," she said.